his seat.
The others looked at Marcellus with mournful eyes, and the lady Caecilia
cried out in an agony of grief,

"Pollio! how have you betrayed us!"

CHAPTER V.

THE CHRISTIAN'S SECRET.

"The mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh."

The young soldier stood astonished at the effect which his name produced.

"Why do you all tremble so?" said he. "Is it on my account?"

"Alas!" said Honorius, "though we are banished to this place we have
constant communication with the city. We have heard that new efforts
were making to persecute us more severely, and that Marcellus, a captain
in the Pretorians, had been appointed to search us out. We see you here
among us, our chief enemy. Have we not cause to fear? Why should you
track us here?"

"You have no cause to fear me," cried Marcellus, "even if I were your
worst enemy. Am I not in your power? If you chose to detain me could I
escape? If you killed me could I resist? I am helpless among you. My
situation here, alone among you, is proof that there is no danger from me."

"True," said Honorius, assuming his calm demeanor, "you are right; you
could never return without our assistance."

"Hear me, then and I will explain all to you. I am a Roman soldier. I
was born in Spain, and was brought up in virtue and morality. I was
taught to fear the gods and do my duty.

"I have been in many lands, and have confined myself chiefly to my
profession. Yet I have never neglected religion. In my chamber I have
studied all the writings of the philosophers of Greece and Rome. The
result is that I have learned from them to despise our gods and
goddesses, who are no better, and even worse than myself.

"From Plato and Cicero I learn that there is one Supreme Deity whom it
is my duty to obey. But how can I know him, and how shall I obey him? I
learn, too, that I am immortal, and shall become a spirit when I die.
How shall I be then? Shall I be happy or miserable? How shall I secure
happiness in that spiritual life? They describe the glories of that
immortal life in eloquent language, but they give no directions for
common men like me. To learn more of this is the desire of my soul.

"The priests can tell me nothing. They are wedded to old forms and
ceremonies in which they do not believe. The old religion is dead, and
men care for it no more.

"In different lands I have heard much of Christians. Shut up in the
camp, I have not had much opportunity to see them. In